Monkey Business and Political Ripples

Socratic Dialogue

By Plutonix

In the heart of political intrigue, where the jungle of power dynamics and the forest of governance meet, a recent event has unleashed ripples of curiosity. The Minister of Agro-industry has left the populace in suspense. The abrupt revocation, akin to a magician’s act with no divulged secrets, has set tongues wagging in the bazaar of political speculation. Socrates, the perennial seeker of wisdom, engages in a dialogue with his interlocutor, Cephalus, to unravel the enigma behind this agro-mystery. As they traverse the political underbrush, a peculiar twist in the tale emerges—whispers of a minister contemplating a leap across the political floor, akin to a monkey swinging unpredictably from tree to tree.

The narrative takes an unexpected turn as the duo explores the hinterlands of a license denied. This license, a pivot point in the political seesaw, involves the export of monkeys for testing abroad. The ex-minister, it is rumoured, stood as the guardian of a sacred monkey sanctuary, resisting the bestowal of his ministerial consent. The conversation delves into the curious realms of commerce, where monkeys become commodities fetching exorbitant prices. Meanwhile, a religious dimension unfurls, as monkeys, revered as deities in Taoism, Buddhism, and Hinduism, become unwitting participants in this web of profit and politics. Socrates and Cephalus, the spectators in this grand spectacle, ponder the consequences of exploiting revered creatures and whether divine wrath will rain down upon those involved.

Socrates: Greetings, Cephalus! Have you perchance heard of the recent political ripples caused by the Minister of Agro-industry?

Cephalus: Oh, you mean the agro-mystery! No one knows why he got the axe. It’s like a political magician pulled a rabbit out of a hat, or in this case, a monkey. Anyway, the sudden revocation has set tongues wagging, much like a mischievous monkey in a bustling market.

Socrates: Intriguing analogy, my dear Cephalus. The similitude of political affairs to the capriciousness of monkeys is a topic ripe for contemplation. Pray, enlighten me on the details of this ministerial upheaval.

Cephalus: The Minister of Agro-mystery, without so much as a drumroll, has been relieved of his duties. The curious part is the dearth of official explanations from the Prime Minister, akin to a magician pulling off tricks with no intention of revealing the secrets behind his illusions.

Socrates: That’s mystifying!

Cephalus: A mystifying act, indeed! However, rumour has it that the ex-minister contemplated crossing the political floor. A move that, like a monkey swinging from tree to tree, added an element of unpredictability to the narrative.

Socrates: Politics is a jungle, my friend, and in this case, maybe a jungle with monkeys. But why would he switch sides?

Cephalus: Ah, that’s the million-dollar question. Or should I say, the ten-thousand-dollar monkey question?

Socrates: Ten thousand dollars? For a monkey? Is this a zoo or a black-market primate bazaar?

Cephalus: Turns out, it’s a bit of both. The ex-minister supposedly blocked a license that would’ve let a cyno breeder export monkeys for testing abroad. This peculiar license is the fulcrum upon which this political seesaw teeters. The ex-minister, it is said, resisted bestowing his ministerial consent, as if guarding the gates to a sacred monkey sanctuary.

Socrates: Monkeys for testing? What are they testing? Banana peeling techniques?

Cephalus: (Laughs) If only! It’s some serious business. They claim it’s for scientific research,

Socrates: But monkeys for testing? A most curious endeavour. Pray, what tests require the presence of our simian companions?

Cephalus: The specifics elude me, Socrates. It seems a lucrative business has sprouted, akin to a banana tree in the rainy season. Monkeys, it is rumoured, now fetch a hefty price, as I hinted earlier – $10,000 each, it would seem -, as if they were rare jewels rather than the mischievous denizens of our forests.

Socrates: Avarice knows no bounds, my friend. But I am curious about the breeder’s claim of ethical practices. Does it sound like a clever monkey feigning innocence after pilfering a basket of fruits?

Cephalus: An astute observation, Socrates! It is possible that breeders could be adhering to strict regulations and the highest standards of monkey welfare. However, like a wise sage once said, “The proof of the pudding is in the eating.” But I hear that NGOs, armed with cameras, have cast doubt upon this virtuous proclamation.

Socrates: A play of shadows and light, much like Plato’s allegory of the cave. Now, tell me of the religious dimension entwined in this monkey business.

Cephalus: Monkeys, as revered deities in Taoism, Buddhism, and Hinduism, find themselves entangled in this web of profit and politics. The export of these sacred beings in apparently questionable conditions has, unsurprisingly, ruffled the feathers of religious sentiments.

Socrates: Indeed, my dear Cephalus. The gods, it seems, are now participants in this drama, observing the affairs of men and monkeys with divine bemusement.

Cephalus: As the plot thickens, Socrates, one cannot help but ponder the consequences. Will divine wrath rain down on those who exploit these revered creatures?

Socrates: That, my friend, remains to be seen. The interplay of politics, profit, and piety creates a tapestry intricate enough to rival the finest weavings of our artisans.

Cephalus: As we watch this drama unfold, Socrates, one can’t help but think that we are but spectators in a cosmic theatre, where monkeys and men dance to a tune composed by the fates.

Socrates: And what a peculiar dance it is, Cephalus. The dance of politics and primates, a spectacle that continues to mystify and amuse.

Cephalus: Maybe next, we’ll see a monkey running for office. At least they can’t be accused of monkeying around…

Socrates: True, and imagine the election debates: ‘Bananas for all citizens!’

Mauritius Times ePaper Friday 23 February 2024